Yoga

Although yoga is associated with stretching and giving you great flexibility, it can also help you lose weight. It might not involve cardio exercises or heavy training, but it could also be very helpful in your weight loss journey.

It helps in curbing emotional eatingMost people look for something sweet when they are feeling down because the sugar in it gives them some much-needed energy. This is known as emotional eating which is the biggest culprit in weight gain. When people feel stressed, they tend to turn to foods high in sugar, snacks and junk food. By relaxing through yoga, your emotions will get balanced as you relax and the urge to reach for these foods will go away, this will cut your calorie intake leading to weight loss.

You are likely to change your dietYoga helps you nurture your body while honoring it and this means you start watching what you eat. It also helps you stop blaming yourself for all the things going wrong in your life which could lead to bad eating habits. When you learn to treat your body well, you start being conscious of what you put into it. This means you turn to a healthier diet which in turn helps you lose weight. Yoga will help you control your food cravings leading to better eating habits.

You become more relaxed; it helps keep weight offWhen you are stressed, your body releases cortisol a stress hormone which disrupts your sleeping pattern, distorts your concentration, messes with your digestive system leading to weight gain. Yoga helps to calm your mind and body thus relaxing physically and mentally. When your stress levels decrease, your body processes become efficient leading to weight loss.

It stretches and tones musclesYoga helps you tone your thighs, core, and glutes. It helps increase your flexibility thus giving you a longer and leaner look

Self-compassion helps stay on track with dietingWhen you learn to love yourself, you will stop beating yourself up for trivial things like making a dieting mistake. When you stop beating yourself up, you will start making better diet decisions. If you practice yoga, you will learn all the benefits of self-compassion, and it will be easier for you to choose better and healthier diets. This will help you some pounds even without noticing.

It can curb overeatingYoga helps you to cultivate calmness even when undergoing through a physical discomfort or any other challenges. These day to day challenges can lead to you overeating even when you feel full just because the food is seemingly delicious. Stress is usually one of the causes of eating even when you don’t feel hungry. If you practice yoga, you will be able to curb this unorthodox behavior meaning you will be able to control your portions and ultimately lose weight.

It helps build strengthSince muscle tissues burn more calories than the fat tissues, muscles play a big role in weight loss. When you practice yoga, you get to balance your whole body weight through various muscles that help you support the different poses. Most yoga poses include you balancing your body which requires burning a lot of calories. These exercises will help you get lean muscles and in turn reach your target weight.

Yoga complements other workoutsSome high-impact workouts place a lot of stress on your joints leading to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This condition can last up to three days. Yoga minimizes the severity of muscle soreness, so if you incorporate yoga into your exercise regimen, you will experience less pain. If you recover from injuries faster, it means that you can resume your workouts. These workouts might be targeting your weight, and therefore yoga will help you reach your goal faster.

Helps curb sleep-eatingAlthough some don’t know it, most people actually do sleep-eat. This leads to weight problems in their lives. When you practice yoga, you will always have a better night sleep throughout the entire night meaning that you don’t sleep-eat.

While you might be struggling with weight problems, incorporating yoga into your day to day life will come with a lot of benefits. Many people think that this practice is only meant to make you more flexible, but as you have seen, it also helps you cut some pounds. Sometimes it all starts with the mind, and if you can keep your body and mind in sync, then you can achieve absolutely anything you desire including losing weight.

Being one of the best exercise routines for the mind and the body, it is no longer surprising that a lot are addicted to yoga. They call themselves yogis.

Are you one of them?

If you are, do not just take any class within the neighbourhood or do yoga at home.

Up the ante and try a yoga retreat in a foreign destination. This is an excellent opportunity for you to TRAVEL and explore a new culture, while at the same time, being able to practice yoga under the supervision of a qualified teacher.

Clueless about where to head?

Keep on reading and learn about some of the best destinations that should definitely be on your list!

TULUM, MEXICO
Gifted with lush jungle and pristine beaches, Tulum is one of Mexico’s best attractions. From scenic landscapes to a laidback coastal vibes, it has a lot to offer. If you do yoga, one of the best to check out is Yogascapes Retreat. They have a program that lasts for a week, which includes not only yoga lessons but the opportunity to enjoy the beach. After your yoga lessons, there’s a lot more to do, such as visiting the Maya ruins or having a thrilling experience as you explore underwater caves.

BALI & UBUD, INDONESIA
Bali might be popular for surfing and beach-parties, but it also offers a variety of options for idyllic getaways, such as a yoga retreat. One of the most popular is Blooming Lotus Yoga. You do not only get to practice yoga, but you also get workshops and lessons, which will provide you with a deeper understanding. The Yoga Barn, known as a sacred paradise, is another place that can be considered. This is situated in Ubud, which is a famed destination for vegans and spiritual seekers.

BHUTAN
This is the only country wherein the measurement of progress is through Gross National Happiness. It has a rugged beauty, and often unheard for many people, making it an interesting destination for yoga. Their yoga retreats will also allow you to partake in a cultural immersion. It is an opportunity to explore the history of the country and its scenic landscapes. There are also museums to explore, trails for hiking, local shops, and delicious food!

MOROCCO
In Surf Maroc, you will not only be able to join yoga classes, but you can also have a surfing break. This is the perfect destination for those who would like to have a physical activity while enjoying relaxing meditation session at the same time. Their yoga retreats are spearheaded by experts, giving you one good reason to have it considered. You can take your time and go at your own pace as many of the classes are non-obligatory.

The first thing that people think when they hear the word yoga is the complicated poses. To outsiders, the movements and positions are difficult to do. However, once they get some yoga lessons, they find out that the poses are easy to do. Not only that, they also discover the benefits they can get from yoga.

Yoga is therapeutic in nature. It helps an individual improve one’s mental and physical toughness. And the best thing about it is that it can be done by people of all fitness levels. You can do yoga no matter what your physical capabilities might be.

One of the misconceptions about yoga is that it is a workout for women. On the contrary, yoga can provide benefits no matter what your sex or age. It is a good way to treat joint and back injuries. Not only that, yoga can also improve one’s physical and mental health. Below are the other benefits you can get from yoga.

Stops Depression and Anxiety

Doing yoga allows an individual to learn how to meditate properly. Not only that, the practice has also been proven to help in the prevention of depression and anxiety. There are several types of yoga to choose from, from the physical Ashtanga and Bikram techniques to the relaxing Hatha Yoga.

Individuals can choose the type of yoga depending on their physical condition and the level of difficulty. The mind will be focus on the poses, instead of the worries of daily life. Through yoga, a person will be able to get rid of stress, and just concentrate in the moment. And that’s the reason why yoga is beneficial for both the mind and the body.

Improves Flexibility

Another reason to do yoga is to improve one’s flexibility. Each pose helps in stretching the spine. There are also poses that focus on stretching specific parts of the body. That’s the reason why yoga practitioners have better flexibility compared to other people of the same age.

Prevents Mood Swings

Another reason why you should consider yoga is that it can help in controlling your mood swings. Reducing the amount of stress in your body allows you to have better control of your stress response system. The exercise promotes relaxation, and at the same time stimulate your mentality. It also helps in lowering blood pressure and your heart rate. Through yoga, you are able to control your emotions and mood throughout the day.

These are just some of the benefits that you can get when you do yoga. Not only will you gain better mental and physical health, it is also an effective way to maintain your ideal weight. There’s no reason why you should not consider doing yoga today.

When you are starting yoga, it can be like visiting a different dimension. There are new rules and guidelines that you need to learn. Here are some of the most common Yoga mistakes that beginners make, and how you can avoid them.

1. Not Taking Off Your Shoes
While you need to have a great pair of sneakers for the game, you take them off when you enter a yoga class. In nearly all yoga classes, there is a strict rule about not wearing shoes. Think about all the germs and dirt that are in your shoes, and that they are going to get on the mat if you wear them. At one point during the yoga lesson, your whole body will be on that mat. If you concerned about how safe your shoes are, think about tucking them away in the storage bins in the yoga studio, or stash your shoes in your gym bag.

2. Not Turning Off Your Phone
One of the worst things have to happen in a yoga class is to hear someone’s phone ringing. It’s even worse when you know it’s your phone ringing. Before handing into yoga class make sure your phone is off, or you could leave it at home.

3. Avoid Baggy Clothing
Yoga is full of inversions, twists, straddles, and more movements. While this can sound counterproductive, tighter clothing leaves more of the body to the imagination. This is due to baggy clothing being able to fall, gap, or slip when you are moving around. This allows people to look down or up your clothing. Also, you may want to check if your yoga gear is sheer. Yoga pants can be the worst for this since they can become translucent during bends.

4. Not Keeping Track of Personal Space
The most popular yoga classes will pack students in like a can of sardines. You can end up being mat to mat with other students. This means you need to keep up with spatial awareness while doing poses. While there is always the chance of being smacked, you can decrease the chance by staying within your mat space. In some cases, getting smacked or smacking someone can lead to the domino effects since you or the other person could fall. This is can be very painful, and not what you want during a yoga class. If you are not conformable staying within your mat space, think about switching to a different class.

Yoga can be both scary and relaxing, depending on where you are with your yoga practice. Being a beginner, you will need to learn these rules at some point, but learning to avoid them means you won’t be embarrassed.